All right, 1 Peter 1, 1-5. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ
to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,
Asia, and Bithynia. elect, according to the foreknowledge
of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, under obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you,
and mercy be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy
hath begotten us again unto a lively or living hope by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead. Watch verse 4. to an inheritance
incorruptible and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved
in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." Now, the fourth
verse, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, phased not away, reserved
in heaven for you. Now flip to Ephesians chapter
1, and there are three verses that I'd like to lift out here,
and we'll look at them later. Ephesians 1 verse 11. in whom
also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according
to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel
of his own will." Then verse 14, which is the earnest of our
inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession,
under the praise of His glory. Then verse 18, the eyes of your
understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the
hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints. Now, those are our beginning
texts today for a consideration of our incorruptible inheritance
that we have in Christ. Now, let me begin by a comparison. Some of us, maybe many of us
in the world today, have at some time or other in our own life
inherited something. We have inherited something that
was not ours by the work of our own hand. And to receive that
inheritance certainly was a blessing in our life. But what we inherited
might have been an amount of money, whether great or small,
or we might have inherited a house or We might have inherited a
parcel of ground or land, or grandma's truck, or grandpa's
car, or something of that nature. And it could even be a business. It could be a valuable antique
that has been passed down from generation under generation. You know, a brooch, or a necklace,
or a wedding dress, or something of that sort. Now, these kinds
of inheritance have a few things in common with each other, and
I'll name some. Number one, they usually involve
a death. Usually it is following upon
a death, following upon a death, whether it be a parent or a grandparent
or an uncle or a kinsman or something, who upon their death have bequeathed
unto one or the other to leave something unto them by or in
their will. To choose an heir and to leave
unto that heir an inheritance. By the way, there have been cases
where children have actually murdered their parents in order
that they might expedite the inheritance. And we've had some
of that right here in Houston. proving that the love of money
is the root of all evil, as Paul said. But then secondly, there's
something else that they have in common, and that is that this
sort of an inheritance consists solely in material things. in things of this world and only
of this world and this life. And therefore, they're only beneficial
while we are alive and living and enjoying them on this earth,
only to be used by an earth dweller. And then such also must leave
them behind and go on their way out of the world. 1 Timothy 6
and verse 7. We brought nothing into the world,
and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. Job 121 said
something like that. Naked came I, naked shall I leave
out of the world. Then the third thing that we
want to mention is that all such worldly inheritances, the scriptures
regard as perishable. They're not eternal. They will
not last forever. They may be stolen. They may
be lost. They may be taken away in some
way. They might be spent as the prodigal
son gathered his inheritance and went away and wasted it in
Luke chapter 15. He wasted it, even as Esau sold
his birthright for a bowl of dear Stu. So we now speak this
morning, not of that kind of inheritance, but of our spiritual
incorruptible inheritance that we have through Jesus Christ,
our Lord, and by and through the will and the purpose of God. Now, this inheritance that we
speak of was typified in the old economy, and especially in
the land of Canaan. When the people went in to the
land of Canaan, and that land is often called their inheritance. They had an inheritance in the
land of Canaan, Exodus 32 and verse 13. that Abraham's seed
should inherit that land and that forever. In Hebrews 11 and
verse 8, each book of Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua,
speak of the seed of Abraham inheriting the land of Canaan
or the land of Prometh, which was divided unto them by Lot. You remember that they cast lots.
for the dividing of the land, Joshua 13 and verse 6, and that
way it was cast wholly upon the providence of God. Numbers 34
and verse 13, this is the land which you shall inherit and that
by lot. Numbers 36 and 13 speaks of the
lot of our inheritance, that which they got in the land of
Canaan. So that many were given an inheritance,
a partial of land in Canaan. And I want us to keep that word
lot in mind because it will come before us again when we're looking
at the scripture in Ephesians chapter 1. Now, there is a spiritual
inheritance that is taught in the New Testament, and it is
declared to be in conjunction with the gospel, or peculiar
to the gospel dispensation, and to the person and the work and
the death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, there
are heir apparent, as it is known legally or in the law. Now, that's a person who is due
to inherit upon the death of the one who owns it and who wills
it to whomsoever he will. And if the heir apparent survived
the death of the Testachar, then they inherit that land or that
possession. It's defined in the law as a
person who is bound to inherit. And because he had a proper relation
or tie to that individual. For example, we often hear it
said of some, he or she stands to inherit a lot of money or
land or business or whatever it might be. So, or the one being
heir to the throne. In England we hear so and so
is heir to the throne or next in line under the throne. They're
an heir to a business or heir unto a fortune awaiting the time
that it might pass into their actual possession. Now concerning
that inheritance that is set out in the New Testament and
the one that are called heirs, in Romans chapter 8 and verse
17, we read this, Heirs of God and joint heirs with the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now, coming to those passages
in Ephesians chapter 1, Methinks that John Eady in his commentary
on Ephesians was right in chapter 1 and verse 11. that says we
have obtained an inheritance. And he said this, and I'm quoting,
has its foundation in the usage of the Old Testament in the theocratic
inheritance, unquote. In other words, it is that was
the type and this is the substance or the reality. In Deuteronomy
chapter 4 and verse 20, Moses said to the people, The Lord
has brought you out of Egypt to be unto him a people of inheritance. And again, E.D. wrote, the inheritance
was a characteristic blessing of the theocratic charter that
God had made with them. In a sense, God was and is their
inheritance. We read that in the scripture
as well. But so was the land of Canaan,
a type, again, I'll say, and a figure of the inheritance of
the saints in light, as set out in Colossians 1 and verse 12,
an inheritance with the saints in light. Now both Paul in Ephesians
and Peter in the Epistle have reference not to a material inheritance
but unto a spiritual inheritance. Peter in the fourth verse of
that text says this, incorruptible, undefiled, that fades not away,
reserved in heaven for us. All of those things are pertinent
unto our inheritance. So that the inheritance then
is not land, is not houses, is not money, is not material thing
in any way or manner. And one thing we notice in both
Ephesians and in 1 Peter. This inheritance is inseparably
connected to election, to predestination, to the purpose of God, God's
will, and God's good pleasure, and the salvation which is in
Jesus Christ with eternal glory, 2 Timothy 2 and verse 10. Now in Ephesians 1, the inheritance
comes in, let's trace it down, verse 4, having chosen us in
Christ before the foundation of the world, which is one and
the same with divine election. Then look at verse 5. having
foreordained or marked us out or predestinated us to the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ. Look at verse 6. He hath made
us accepted in the Beloved. He has brought us into favor
with God, made us accepted. Look at verse 7. We have redemption
through His blood, even the forgiveness of sin. And verse 11, in whom
also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according
to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel
of His own will. Now, let's do a little word study
along our way. We'll look at a couple of words
here. First of all, that main word, inheritance. Our inheritance. We have obtained an inheritance. Now, when we look at it, there
is one Greek word, I think, that is translated by several in our
English. That it is one word that said,
we have obtained and inheritance. And the word inheritance, inherit
rather, by itself means to have a portion or a part of a thing,
to share that in common. to inherit, to become an heir,
to receive freely that which we could receive in no other
way, it is a gift unto us. Now some good and reliable commentators
say the idea is this, you have obtained by lot an inheritance,
and one of those is John Gill. that the inheritance by lot is
an allusion to the land of Canaan where there it was divided under
the tribes and the family by God's order and that by a lot. Which means that this inheritance
that we have in Christ is not by law. It's not through the
law. It is not by works of righteousness,
no matter how good or how long-standing. It is not by accident. It is
not in any way a human endeavor. And it is not a casual thing,
but a determinate thing on the part of God and of Christ, that
each heir apparent of the spiritual inheritance receive their portion. And I will say this, there is
no human contingency in it at all. It is not if you do this
or if you don't do that. No human contingency. And we see this in verse 11.
Watch it again. We have obtained an inheritance. Then what does Paul write? Being
predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all
things after the counsel of its own will. It is the sovereign
determination of the will of God which is carried out in the
imparting of the inheritance to whom God would. It is God's
for ordination. It is the fixed purpose. It is
the fixed pleasure of God. It is independent and sovereignly
bestowed by the same sovereignty that created the world in the
beginning when God would. We'll have more about that later. But we said there are two words.
There's the word inheritance But then let's look at that little
old word also that we find in this verse, verse 11, in whom
also we obtain, we obtained an inheritance also. Now this is
a word that can link a verb together or make additions. That's how
I so often use. Paul uses the word about a dozen
times in the Ephesian epistle, the word also. Twice in verse
13, if we look at it as an addition. You heard, you also trusted,
you believed, you also were sealed, and such like. Four times in
chapter one, the apostle uses that word for emphasis. So what is the sense of the also? Can it be like this? The children
of Israel obtained an inheritance in Canaan, and so believers in
Christ have also obtained a heavenly inheritance. Or can it be like
this? We, as well as others, have also
obtained an inheritance. Gentile as well as Jew. But we notice that Paul includes
himself in this. We have also obtained an inheritance. Or does it refer to the saints
being God's inheritance, as sometimes the scriptures speak? This is
often expressed. I'll give you a few verses along
that line, but we won't turn to them or read them. Psalm 2
and verse 8, 32 and 12, and 78 and 71. Exodus 34 and 9. For there are some who take the
view of chapter 1 verse 11, but here Methinks to agree with those
who are of the opinion that Paul means in this place are not the
inheritance but are the heirs who have come into an inheritance
by and through Jesus Christ. Hence the word, we have also
obtained an inheritance. And the word also, we said, can
make an addition, an addition. Also, there's something else,
over and beyond those earlier spiritual blessings that Paul
has mentioned, in verse 3, 4, 5, 6, and such. And the companion
passage in Colossians 1 and verse 12 says this, giving thanks unto
the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in life. Now for time, let's switch back
to the text in 1 Peter chapter 1, where again we see that the
inheritance is inseparably related to our election in Christ. Look at verse 2. Elect according
to the foreknowledge of God. Now that foreknowledge does not
mean that God looked down and saw what people would do and
therefore reacted to that in such a way. Because foreknowledge
actually means to know and to approve and to love and such
like. Look at the third verse. He has
begotten us, meaning that he has regenerated us. He's given
us new and heavenly life. He's worked the new birth in
us. He has birthed us from above to a living in connection with
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is, He, God the Father,
has brought again the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, Hebrews
13 and verse 20, and has quickened us together with Christ unto
a lively or a living hope. Now, let's look at the word hope
now. Hope is not a strong wish. When we say hope, it's not like,
oh, I wish I'd go to heaven, I wish I was saved, I wish this
or I wish that. Hope is more than a strong wish. It is a confident expectation
that God will perform that which he has promised, even as Abraham. Ephesians 2 and verse 12, some
once were without hope that was once the condition of the Gentile,
having some only a counterfeit hope that their souls will be
saved. But one cannot be born again
and call and believe the gospel and be without hope. Any that
are in that condition have been begotten unto a living hope. Remember what Paul said in Romans
chapter 8. We are saved by hope, or in hope,
verse 24 and 25. In hope of eternal life, which
God that cannot lie promised before the world began, Titus
chapter 1 and verse 2. Now, going back to our inheritance. We cannot separate airship from
sonship. It can't be done in the spiritual
sense. Airship rests upon sonship, and
they are inseparably connected. Who will inherit the riches of
our Father? Who lives in hope of eternal
life? And the answer is the children
of God. They that believe. They that
are born again. The sons and the daughters of
God the Father live in the hope of eternal and everlasting life. Sonship here is not natural,
but it is supernatural sonship by and through election. It is
not fleshly, but it is spiritual, which are born of God, because
elected in the Lord Jesus Christ, predestinated, did you hear it?
To the adoption of children, put among the children, put among
the son, that's adoption. Ephesians 1 and verse 5, such
as are put among the sons. They're not sons by nature or
innately, but they are children of God by election and by adoption
and such like. If you'd like to turn with me
to Romans chapter 8, I'd like to read a few verses there concerning
this very matter. In Romans chapter 8, it will
be verse 14 through verse 17 when we all find it. Romans 8,
14 through 17. For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For we've not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear, but he have received the
spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Father, Father, the Spirit
itself, bear witness with our spirit that we are the children
of God. now that's very important then
watch verse 17 and if children the spirit witnesses that we're
the children of God and if children then heirs heirs of God and even
joint heirs with Jesus Christ if so be that we suffer with
him that we also might reign with him and Then I would take
you to Galatians, and again, this time in chapter 4, and I
like to read verses 1 through 7, as Paul closes out that great
allegory that he gave unto them there in Galatia. Chapter 4,
1 through 7. Now this I say, the heir, as
long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant or a slave,
though he is lord over all, but is under tutors and governor
until the time appointed of the father. Even so, we, when we
were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth
His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them
that are under the law, that we might receive the adoption
of sons. And because ye are son, God hath
sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your heart, crying,
Abba, Father. Watch verse 7. Wherefore, thou
art no more a servant. no more a slave, no more a domestic
hand, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now Romans 8, 16 had said, the
Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit, whereby we are
crying and have the feelings that God is our Father, we are
his children. And in verse 17 states the obvious,
if children then heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Now that leads me to say all
of the children of God are heirs. Every last one of the children
of God are an heir. None of the children of God are
disinherited or cut off without nothing. But here's the thing
that perks up our ears. Join heirs with Christ. I wish I could understand that
fully and explain it. We may not think of Christ as
being an heir. So let us hear a few things,
if we might, about Him from Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 2. The Son,
whom He, that is God, Christ the Son, hath appointed heir of all things."
Christ hath been appointed heir of all things. Verse 4, being
so much better than the angel, as he hath by inheritance obtained
a more excellent name than they. Now, I want us to get all that
we can from these words, joint heirs with Christ, as we might
only think of being joint heirs with each other, with the other
saints of God, of having an inheritance in common with them, which we
certainly do. But joint heirs with Jesus Christ,
joint heirs with Him, to get the most from this, I guess we
need to find out or try to find out how the Lord Jesus Christ
is an heir and what his inheritance consists of. He's an heir of
God. He's obtained an inheritance. Well, he is an heir by the appointment
of the Father. It says this. whom he appointed
heir, the Lord Jesus Christ. William G.T. Shedd once wrote,
this does not view God as a deceased testator, but as a living dispenser
of the wealth and the inheritance. He is not a son, Christ is not,
either by creation or by adoption. But Christ's sonship is eternal
and by eternal generation. And he was made heir. He was
placed as the heir. I'll give you an example. The
parable of the vineyard. You remember the wicked husbandman?
You remember when the owner sent his only son and said, they will
reverence my son? Well, the wicked husbandman in
Matthew 21, 38 said of the son, come, this is the heir, let us
kill him and seize upon his inheritance. And so the parable has to do
with Christ. So here we have son, heir, inherited. The son represents the Lord Jesus
in that parable, heir of all. And the father has put all things
into his hands. He has given Him all power in
heaven and earth. Matthew chapter 28 and verse
19. He has given all judgment into
His hand. Acts 17 and 31. John 5 and 27. He's given Him authority over
all flesh that He might give eternal life to those the Father
gave Him. John chapter 17 and verse 2. He has made Him Lord and Christ. Acts chapter 2 and verse 36 and
he has given him a name that is above every name that every
knee should bow Philippians chapter 2 and verse 9 and the highest
of all He has exalted him to sit down on the right hand of
God the Father Ephesians a rather Hebrew 1 and verse 3 so he has
made him heir of all thing now consider some questions if we
might. Some expositors consider his
heirship, as in Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 2, to be a sovereign
proprietor over all things. To this he has been appointed. He is sovereign over heaven and
earth, to do with them as he would. John Brown said, quote,
he has given all things into the hand of his son, constituted
him proprietor of all things to be managed according to his
pleasure and the divine purpose, unquote. And after his suffering,
he has entered into his glory. He has finished his priestly
work upon the earth and has entered into his glory again, as he asked
in John chapter 17. to the inheritance in 1 Peter
1, which inheritance, again, is peculiar to the children of
God, to those who are God's, his sons and his daughter. Every one of them has an inheritance,
is an heir of God, and therefore has an inheritance because they
are a child of God. Now the heirship of the children
comes to take effect by the death and the resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ. He being the testator of the
new covenant. Hebrews 9 15 through 17. There
must be the debt of the Teshachar for it to pass. We won't read
that. But in 1 Peter 1 and verse 4,
these things are said about the inheritance that falls out unto
the children of God. There are three of them. Number
one, it is incorruptible and undefiled. This inheritance that
is ours, is laid up, it is incorruptible and undefiled. It cannot be made
corrupt, and it cannot come to nothing. It cannot perish. It cannot be defiled by anyone,
not even by Satan himself. It is not of such a nature as
to fall into corruption or defilement on its own, nor can it be so
from without. Many things fade. and they decay
with age or with their use. But not this inheritance, not
the spiritual, and it is not material, it is not made out
of substance, not even silver, not even gold does our inheritance
consist, because the apostle calls them corruptible in 1 Peter
1 and 18. And everything you see, everything
you might inherit, is made of material and it is subject to
corruption and to defilement, but the inheritance of the saints
of God is incorruptible and undefilable. Secondly, he said, it fades not
away. We might also express it, it
withers not. It does not wither away. Compare
1 Peter 5 and 4, a crown of glory that fades not away. It is unfading. Contrast James chapter 1 and
11. The grass and the flowers do
wither, but not this inheritance of the saint. It is not subject
to withering or to fading. It ever abides, and it ever abides
in all of its strength and all of its glory and all of its fullness. And the third thing about it,
Peter says, it is reserved in heaven for you. A.T. Robertson, in his word studies,
called reserve perfect, passive, participle of an old verb, to
take care of and to guard, and unquote. And note two things. One, in heaven, and two, for
you. that is the children of God.
It is reserved, it's laid up there. It's in heaven and it's
for you. So the question then, which we
haven't dealt with yet, what is our inheritance? What's its nature and what does
this inheritance consist of that we're about to inherit or that's
laid up for us in heaven? It is not a mansion on a street
of gold, as some are thinking. Is it a city? We inherit a heavenly
city. Is it land? Is it getting to
see grandma and grandpa, mom and dad once again? What exactly
are we to inherit? What are we heirs of? Well, not money or land, not
silver and not gold. Every Christian has an inheritance. And like somebody's on earth,
it's not divided seven ways if they have seven kids, but each
one has a full portion and inheritance. It is the greatest thing. It
is very precious. It is very valuable. It is the
best inheritance that one could ever inherit and therefore is
to be treasured. God is to be praised for giving
it and bestowing it. So now the question, what is
it? What is this inheritance? I had to think about this, rear
back in the chair and scratch my head. So I quote John Brown,
if you allow me, quote, the inheritance is obviously the celestial happiness,
the final state of the righteous to be continued unchanged forever
and forever. and ever, unquote, to be continued. The inheritance, 1 Peter 5 and
verse 4, is synonymous with salvation, is it not? We inherit salvation
in verse 4, verse 9, here in this chapter. Those who shall
inherit everlasting life. Those who shall be in a state
of glory, be brought to glory, as it says in Hebrews 2 and verse
10. Listen to Matthew 25 and 34.
When the king shall say to them on the right hand, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Remember the young ruler who
came running up to our Lord and he asked, what must I do that
I might inherit eternal life? Mark 10 and 17. Acts 26, 18. An inheritance we have among
all of those that are sanctified. 1 Corinthians 6, 9, and 10. The unrighteous shall not inherit
the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 15 and 50, flesh
and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God, but we all shall
be changed. Now I want to mention, though
the inheritance be reserved in heaven, what is to keep the heir
from miscarrying? come inherit, the Lord said,
the salvation. He used that word, inherit. But
what shall keep the heirs from miscarrying somewhere along their
way? The falling out, of losing faith,
or whatever. Shall the inheritance be ours
and then be lost, and we not come into possession of it? Well,
look at 1 Peter 1 and verse 5. Who are kept? by the power of
God through faith, though faith be tried, it will prove genuine
and will endure and therefore receive the end, even the salvation
of your soul. Now, there are two passages,
Ephesians 1 and verse 13. I want to read that again, please,
if we might. in whom ye also trusted after
ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in
whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy
Spirit of promise." You'll see it again in Ephesians 4 and verse
30. But then, in 2 Corinthians 1
and verse 22, 2 Corinthians, not 1 Corinthians, but 2 Corinthians, And let me get there. Chapter
1 and verse 22. Who hath also sealed us and given
us the earnest of the Spirit in our heart. Now an earnest
is the first part of the whole transaction or the whole inheritance. It is a promise. It is a pledge.
It is a guarantee that the rest shall be supplied as well. That those who receive the Spirit
have both the seal and the earnest of the promise inheritance for
them. And having given them the faith
of God's elect, Titus 1 and verse 1, they look for that crown of
life which the Lord will give Paul and all of them, James 1.12,
2 Timothy 4.8, them that love is appearing shall he give a
crown of life. Colossians 1.5, the hope that
is laid up for you in heaven. It's laid up, it's reserved,
and it's in a safe place. It's in heaven. Remember, We
cannot make ourself an heir. We cannot put ourself in the
family of God, but God does and can. We cannot make ourself an
heir. We cannot grasp it. We cannot
take it. It is something that is freely
bestowed. Only God makes us children, and
when he makes us children, he grants us an inheritance. An inheritance is a free bequest
by or from another. Someone that loved you or someone
that looked with favor and has left you something that might
be a blessing. So an inheritance is the free
bequest of another. And this inheritance of eternal
life and happiness and glory eternally is of God. We shall inherit and inherit
fully and it's laid up in heaven. It is kept there for us and we
are kept for it by the power of God through faith. ready to
be revealed in the last day. When you shall receive the end
of your faith, even salvation, Peter writes in chapter 1. Well,
I hope this blesses us and encourages us and gives us more hope, strength,
and faith to know that we have an inheritance. It won't fade. Somebody else won't steal it.
It won't be lost, and it won't be taken away. It's laid up.
its own reserve, and Christ is the guardian of it. Thank God.